Starmer orders inquiry into any security concerns over Mandelson’s tenure in US
Keir Starmer has ordered an investigation into any security concerns relating to Peter Mandelson’s tenure as UK ambassador to the US as he gave his side of events in a politically crucial statement in parliament.“I know many members across the house will find these facts to be incredible,” Starmer told jeering MPs, after setting out how the Foreign Office opted to overrule the initial decision to refuse Mandelson’s security vetting without informing him and other ministers.He said: “To that I can only say they are right.Throughout the whole timeline of events, officials in the Foreign Office saw fit to withhold this information from the most senior ministers in our system in government.That is not how the vast majority of people in this country expect politics, government or accountability to work, and I do not think it’s how most public servants think it should work either.
”He added that the Foreign Office had been stripped of its powers to overrule vetting decisions.Setting out a detailed timeline of events that ended up with the Guardian revealing last week how Mandelson had been initially denied vetting clearance, Starmer began with an acceptance that he had made a grave mistake in the first place with his choice of ambassador.“Before I go into the details, I want to be very clear with this house that while this statement will focus on the process surrounding Peter Mandelson’s vetting and appointment, at the heart of this there is also a judgement I made that was wrong,” he said.“I should not have appointed Peter Mandelson.”Responding for the Conservatives, Kemi Badenoch said the concerns “go beyond propriety and ethics – this is a matter of national security”, adding that Starmer potentially broke the ministerial code by not updating MPs last week.
The Tory leader went on: “At every turn, with every explanation, the government story has become murkier and more contradictory.It is time for the truth.”Mandelson’s vetting took place in December 2024 and January 2025, after his appointment had already been announced, Starmer said, adding that this was in line with procedures for political appointments but they had now been changed so that vetting had to be done first.On 28 January 2025, he continued, UK Security Vetting (UKSV) “recommended to the Foreign Office that developed vetting clearance should be denied to Peter Mandelson”, but the Foreign Office opted to overrule this, a power not available to other departments.This power was suspended by No 10 last week after the news emerged, Starmer said.
He understood why sensitive personal vetting information had to be kept confidential, Starmer said, but he found it impossible to understand why the fact Mandelson had been initially refused was not passed on,“There is no law that stops civil servants sensibly flagging UKSV recommendations while protecting detailed, sensitive vetting information, to allow ministers to make judgments on appointments or on explaining matters to parliament,” he said,“Had I known before he took up his post that the UKSV recommendation was that developed vetting clearance should be denied, I would not have gone ahead with the appointment,”Starmer called it “astonishing” that when the then head of the civil service, Chris Wormald, carried out a review into the appointment after Mandelson was sacked in September 2025, and reported that normal processes were followed, the Foreign Office still did not tell him,At the same time, he said, the Foreign Office’s head civil servant, Olly Robbins, who was removed from his post last week, gave a statement to a Commons committee saying vetting was conducted to the usual standard, which was signed by the foreign secretary.
Starmer said: “Let me be very clear to the house – this was in response to questions which included whether concerns were raised, what the Foreign Office response was, and whether they were dismissed,“That the foreign secretary was advised on and allowed to sign this statement by Foreign Office officials without being told that UKSV had recommended Peter Mandelson be denied developed vetting clearance is absolutely unforgivable,”It was, Starmer added, “frankly staggering” that the news was not passed on in February this year when No 10 ordered officials to review vetting processes,He eventually found out on Tuesday, he said, adding: “This is information I should have had a long time ago, and it is information that this house should have had a long time ago,It is information that I and the house had the right to know.
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Helen Goh’s recipe for Anzac sandwich biscuits with dark chocolate filling | The sweet spot
Anzac biscuits are closely associated with Anzac Day on 25 April, which commemorates the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who served in the first world war. Made with oats, coconut and golden syrup, the biscuits are said to have been popular because they travelled well and kept for long periods, making them suitable for sending to forces overseas. My version here, a slightly less austere take on the classic, sandwiches two small biscuits with a lightly salted, olive oil-enriched dark chocolate ganache. The result is crisp at the edges, soft within and not too sweet.Prep 5 min Cook 35 min, plus cooling Makes 12 sFor the biscuits 90g rolled oats 45g plain flour 40g light brown sugar 30g caster sugar 40g desiccated coconut 80g unsalted butter 40g golden syrup ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda ¼ tsp fine sea saltFor the ganache110g dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa solids), chopped60ml single cream 2 tsp olive oil ¼ tsp flaky sea saltPut the oats, flour, sugars and coconut in a medium bowl and whisk to combine
Just the tonic: why it’s more than a mixer
If a tonic is something that “makes you feel stronger and happier”, my tonics come in the form of good wine, bad chocolate and an ageing whippet called Ernie. Recently, though, I’ve found myself craving the OG tonic – tonic water – which started life as a malaria treatment in the age of the British empire.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more
Move over matcha: how ube cocktails and coffees are hitting the UK’s sweet spot
Bright purple coffees and cocktails made with a root vegetable called ube have hit the high street in the UK after the yam’s striking hue caused a sensation on social media. Many are calling ube the “new matcha”, and it has a nutty, creamy, sweet taste, like a mix between coconut and vanilla.Ube coloured and flavoured drinks became popular in the US last year, after an earlier boom in Australia. Farmers in the Philippines, where the root vegetable is often sourced, have been struggling to meet demand.Now, the purple drinks have crossed the pond: Starbucks and Costa both launched ube drinks in their UK stores last month
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In December 2023, the magazine La Cucina Italiana ranked Italians’ favourite pasta shapes, according to data gathered by Unione Italiana Food (“the leading association in Italy for the direct representation of food product categories”). I love this sort of thing. According to the UIF, by processing NielsenIQ data (comprehensive market research, consumer intelligence and retail measurement), they identified the five most popular shapes from over 500, and examined how preferences vary in different regions.In first place was spaghetti, while penne came in second, with these two shapes – which also takes in thinner spaghettini, chunkier spaghettoni and both ridged and smooth penne – accounting for 78% of all pasta sold in Italy in 2023. The regional variations of three, four and five are as follows: in the north-west and north-east, fusilli, short pasta and mixed pasta for broth or minestra; in central Italy, short pasta, fusilli and rigatoni; in the south, mixed pasta for broth or minestra, short pasta and tortiglioni
How to turn old bread into a brilliant Italian cake – recipe | Waste not
Old sourdough is my secret ingredient. To stop it going mouldy, I take it out of any plastic packaging and keep it in the bread bin with plenty of airflow around it – that way, it will dry out slowly, rather than turning mouldy. Any odds and ends, meanwhile, I store in a cloth bag to use in various dishes, from pangrattato (or poor man’s parmesan) to strata, a savoury bread-and-butter pudding.My new favourite recipe discovery for using up stale bread is today’s torta paesana, or village cake, from Lombardy. The best way I can come up with to describe it is that it’s a bit like a firm baked custard
Roast chicken, cheesy scones and a genius cocktail: Ravinder Bhogal’s recipes for cooking with lime pickle
I’m obsessed with lime pickle. It’s savoury, sour, funky, spicy and full of bold personality that enlivens anything it’s smeared on. It’s made by salting and fermenting limes with chillies and spices for a fierce, flavour-packed condiment that’s traditionally eaten as a side to poppadoms or with simple dal and rice. Over the years, I have also folded it into grilled cheese toasties, marinades for fat prawns to barbecue in the summer or made compound butters with it to smother over sweet potatoes before roasting. It’s an instant flavour bomb and my pantry is never without a jar
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